Handcuff



Patented Mar. 14, 1944 2,344,348 HANDCUFF Frida Victoria Forsell, Stockholm, Sweden Application May 24, 1943, Serial No. 488,220 In Sweden April 15, 1942 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to handcufis and is more particularly concerned with that type of handcufis which comprises a handle carrying a movable and spring-actuated claw which is adapted to be held in its opened position by a locking mechanism which is actuated by a trigger mounted on the handle. The main object of the invention is to provide a trigger mechanism which prevents inadvertent opening of the handcufi. Other objects will be evident from the following description.

A preferred embodiment of the handcufi according to this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the handcuff with a cover piece removed;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 but with the mechanism in another position; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with the parts in the same position as in Fig. 2.

The handle or grip I of the handcuff is provided with a casing 2 containing a locking mechanism and having fixedly connected to it one claw 3 of a handcufl, the other, or movable, claw 4 of which is provided with a disc-like hub portion 5 by means of which it is pivoted on a pin 6 in the casing 2. The movable claw 4 is actuated by a spiral spring I which tends to move this claw towards the fixed claw 3. The disc-like hub portion 5 is provided with two recesses 8 and 9 in its periphery into which a hook Ill at one end of a two-armed lever H may enter in order to lock the movable claw in either the opened.

or the closed position. The lever, or latch, II is pivoted on a pin I2 in the casing 2 and is actuated by a spring l3 which tends to turn the latch to the left so that the hook I is kept in contact with the periphery of the hub portion 5. The other end of the latch II is adapted to coact with one end of a. bar I4 which is mounted in a groove I provided in the handle I, said groove being of such dimensions that the bar may be displaced longitudinally and also tilted to a certain extent therein. A spring I6 arranged Within the casing 2 is adapted to actuate the bar 14 to keep the same in contact with the bottom of the groove IS. The other end of the bar I4 engages a recess between two projections I1 and I8 at one end of a trigger I9 which is displaceable in a groove in the handle I and connected to the handle by means of a screw 20 which passes loosely through an elongated slot 2| in the trigger. The arrangement is such that th trigger l9 may be depressed after it has been 58 displaced longitudinally enough to move the projection I8 clear of a stop surface 22 in the handle I. At the depression of the trigger the latch I I is swung to the right against the action of the spring l3 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position in which the hook I 0 does not engage the recess in the hub portion, and the movable claw 4 may be turned to the position shown in Fig. 2. When the trigger is released the spring I3 turns the latch II back so that the hook I0 enters into the recess 9 and locks the movable claw in its opened'position. Simultaneously the bar I4 and the trigger I 9 are moved back to their initial positions by the springsl3 and [B in which position the surface 22 prevents the trigger from being depressed unless it is also displaced in a direction at about right angles to that of the depression. This construction prevents inadvertent opening of the handcufi by the police oilicer or by the prisoner.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a handcufi, a handle, a movable claw mounted on said handle and capable of being moved to opened and closed position, means for locking said claw in either of said positions, a spring adapted to actuate the claw for moving the same to closed position, and a trigger mounted on the handle and adapted to actuate the locking means, said trigger being mounted for movement first in one direction and then in a direction at about right angles to the first-mentioned direction.

2. In a handcufi, a handle, a. claw movably mounted on said handle and capable of being moved to opened and closed position, a spring adapted to actuate said claw for moving the same to closed position, a hub portion on said claw, said hub portion being provided with a .pair of recesses, a latch, a spring adapted to move said latch towards said hub portion and into engagement with either of said recesses, a bar" for actuating said latch, and a trigger for actuating said bar, said trigger being mounted for twofold movement.

3. A handcutf according to claim 2, wherein the bar and the trigger are slidably mounted in grooves in the handle and wherein a stop is provided for the trigger which prevents depression thereof and hence actuation of the bar and the associated latch until the trigger has been moved clear of said stop.

FRIDA VICTORIA FORSELL, 

